Chamber welcomes decision to relax water restrictions

The Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry welcomes the slight relaxation of water restrictions following reasonable rainfall and rising dam levels.

The challenge now is to get the message out to tourists and the film industry, so that we can revive these sectors.

Unfortunately, the drought and the Day Zero story made people look elsewhere for holiday destinations and filming locations. They may have liked the alternatives, so we will have to fight hard to get the business back.

The easing of restrictions on October 1 means that 50 litres per person per day now rises to 70 litres and the tariffs will decrease by 26.6% for those using less than 6kl a month.

Those using between 10 and 35kl will see tariffs drop by 56%, while those using more than 35kl will see a 70% reduction in tariffs.

The tariff for commerce and industry will be reduced by 18% to R37.50 a kilolitre.

It is unlikely that water use will return to the old levels once the dams are full as businesses and residents have learned to reduce water use and they have invested in water-saving devices, tanks and other measures.

All this puts us in a much better position to cope with dry years in the future.